Charting a Course for Excellence: LCON's Visionary Strategic Plan Unveiled

The LCON begin the process of developing a new strategic plan in 2022, after the University of Memphis completed its new Strategic Plan, ASCEND. The Dean Dr. Linda Haddad first appointed a Chair Dr. Jill Dapremont and hired a consultant. The initial step was to meet with the consultant and then appoint a group of college leaders and faculty on the strategic task force (STF) committee. The committee then embarked on the journey of a new strategic plan. The strategic task force (STF) team committee met to develop an agenda for a faculty retreat. The retreat engaged with faculty to establish a collaborative plan. The faculty retreat was held in February 2023. Next, the committee compiled the data from the faculty retreat regarding mission, vision, goals. and principles. The STF committee worked to put into words the faculty wishes for a mission and vision. What was presented included the mission and vision which was presented to the faculty for approval.

Mission: Produce nurse leaders, scholars, and innovative research to promote health in our global society.

Vision: To be transformative leaders in nursing education, practice, and science through the advancement of health equity.

Then Six Strategic Goals were developed from the data.

Goal 1: Student Excellence
Provide an innovative culture, exceptional education and dynamic student experience that attracts highly qualified students and cultivates them to become nursing leaders who are diverse, inclusive, and positively impact healthcare outcomes.

Goal 2: Teaching Excellence
Deliver innovative curricula focused on state-of-the-art teaching and learning strategies, student success measures, clinical partnerships, and a culture of belonging to prepare lifelong learners who are catalysts of positive impact in a global society.

Goal 3: Faculty Excellence
Attract, recruit, and retain highly motivated, qualified, and diverse faculty delivering innovative curricula and participating in cutting-edge scholarship and research while engaged in lifelong development, professional service, and community outreach.

Goal 4: Research Excellence
Strengthen interdisciplinary health equity research capacity by providing essential internal and external resources, faculty development, and formal research-focused academic practice and community partnerships to be recognized as a premier research college.

Goal 5: Partnership Excellence
Develop and sustain robust academic practice and community partnerships that foster engagement and collaboration in support of the college's education, practice, and research mission to positively impact partners and the communities they serve.

Goal 6: Operational Excellence
Improve the college's operational efficiency and effectiveness by establishing quality practices and policies to maximize resource utilization and ensure accountability.

The STF worked to present the document with the mission, vision, and strategic goals to the faculty by April 2023 for approval. The document was approved without opposition. During the summer the STF worked to develop focus areas for the goals and action plans. The final document was presented to the faculty at the opening Faculty Organizational Meeting on August 12, 2023. Now starts the work of establishing metrics to meet our new strategic plan.

STF Committee:

1. Jill Dapremont, Chair
2. Linda Haddad, Dean
3. Leanne Lefler, Associate Dean of Research
4. Jeremy Whittaker, Associate Dean Student Success
5. Tracy Collins, FNP Program Director
6. Angela Oigbokie, Clinical Associate Professor
7. Reba Umberger, Associate Professor, Tenure Track
8. Bradley Harrell, Interim Associate Dean, Assistant Dean Lambuth